The weather was hot but fortunately was a few degrees cooler than it had been all week long (99 degrees). The premium stated that there was no water at all on site so to bring your own. I'm really glad we had the RV as we had to give Wazzu a cold shower before each run. She hates the actual shower but gets super frisky and happy right afterward. Slugger hated the shower even more - very scary you know!
There was one run of Hoopers on Friday evening. It was a bit tricky to get it fit in as at 5:00 it is still the heat of the day - yet by 6:15pm it is totally dark. I think we could have done just as well in the dark! Wazzu, Sparkie, and Mike totally hate this game and were all very unhappy after their run. This particular version of Hoopers is really good for dogs that are a little bit on the slow side. I've yet to see a fast dog get a Q in Phase III Hoopers. Therefore, Slugger got a Q! So only one member of the family got a Q tonight and it was Slugger - who would have thought!
The group of people here in Phoenix are really great. We know many of the big dogs and their handlers so it was very pleasant. As always (we've done this trial before), we are lucky in the fact that the Chief Ring Steward for our ring is Wendy and she is completely easy going and fun. Our ring was the no stress ring - and I truly think there was no stress. Even when on the first run of the day and we discovered that the electronic timer eyes were broken. No biggy - we just had the timer hit the button. And we also ran our ring in that when you saw the dog before you was under control then you just took off for your run. No need to wait for anyone to tell you to go. Cool. And then in one Regular run the judge had set the course and someone else numbered it. But the judge set course one and person numbered course two. Mike noticed this as we were walking. So Wendy had each of us pick up the cone at the obstacle we were closest to. Then as the judge walked around and said the number of the obstacle, the person with that number would run over and place it down. It was kind of like a Kindergarten Camp Numbering Game - it lightened the mood very nicely.
Anyway, Sparkie and Mike had a really rough day. They just weren't connecting for some reason. If something could go wrong, it did. It didn't help at all that the last two runs of the day were those dreaded Hoopers runs. We've heard the Phase III Hoopers briefing six times. In Mike and Sparkie's first run of Hoopers today they did exactly as was briefed to be legal but got faulted. There were three judges at the event and I spoke to each of them about it. They agreed that what Mike did was technically within the rules as was briefed. However, it wasn't what they'd actually meant in the briefing. I didn't say anything but I really thought Mike and Sparkie should have been given a Q since they technically did as was briefed. But at least these three judges now know how they should brief it so as to avoid confusion.
The theme of the day for Wazzu was close but no cigar. You know how they say that the majority of the errors are really the handlers. Well, today all the errors were Wazzu's. Really! The first Regular run she just barely missed the contact on the dog walk (2nd to last obstacle of the run). The second Regular run she popped the last pole of the weaves - once again the 2n to last obstacle of the run). In Chances she was amazing. She was fast and she did all the hard parts perfectly - very few dogs Q'd. The last part of the run the dogs had to do three straight jumps out. The distance line ran increasingly away from the jumps. Wazzu did the first two jumps perfectly - I was sure we'd gotten a much needed and very difficult to come by Chances Q. But agonizingly she ran past the last jump! Oh such disappointment. So, like the first two runs we were perfect until the end! Wazzu did a beautiful Jumpers run and we finally got a Q. Then somehow we managed to get a Hoopers Q in the first run. But the second Hoopers run she ran by a hoop with all four paws which meant we had to do an extra sequence. There is no time for that - once you mess up you can forget making it up.
Bottom line is that our dogs just don't enjoy Hoopers. Both Sparkie and Wazzu get way too stressed. One of the main premises of NADAC is open, smooth, and flowing. Hoopers is none of those. Another main premise of NADAC is distance. Hoopers in no way encourages distance. I find it to be detrimental to my efforts to get Wazzu to work away from me and to be fast. For that reason, Wazzu and I won't be participating in Hoopers any more. If you were to watch Mike and Sparkie do Hoopers it would be very clear to you that neither of them has any fun at all. They too will never enter Hoopers again. It may be a good game for some - but not for us.
Little Slugger was entered in two runs on Saturday, Regular and Chances. He tried hard but there were a lot of distractions and it was hot for him. We were impressed with how hard he was trying but it was like watching a dog in slow motion. He'd kind of blank out sometimes and just start walking by obstacles. He's definitely not back to pre-injury form yet.
Sunday, wasn't much better as far as our Q rate went as a family. There were only four runs today. Wazzu started off great. She ran one of the most beautiful Jumpers runs ever. It was total connection - like she knew the numbers and didn't need me out there at all. How fun! The next two runs were Regular runs. The courses were really nice and Wazzu was happy. But it didn't matter what I did, Wazzu absolutely wouldn't weave. She did the rest of both courses like she was an agility champion (ha, she is!) but she would not weave for anything. That just left Chances. We had done this course at the Columbia Cup and hardly anyone got it - not even the teams that usually have no trouble with Chances. So I wasn't holding out much hope for us as we failed miserably at it last time. The very first thing was a discrimination (we got that correct last time) and we messed it up. I made Wazzu come back and do it again. Then she took off like a shot and did the rest of it like it was baby stuff. I mean she was incredible! But no Q...darn!
Sparkie had a better day today....good thing as after nine runs so far this weekend she was 0/9! That has never ever happened before. But she ended the weekend nicely getting Q's in her final two runs. What a struggle!
Looking at Chances we knew it would be way too hard for Little Slugger. To our surprise he almost did it! The distance part in Regular was too hard for him as well so Mike crossed the line to try and save the run. Slugger was under time by 15 seconds and managed a five point Q! Slugger had the best Q rate of all three dogs this weekend. That is a first....and certainly shows what a rough weekend it was for us as far as Q's went.
Even so, we enjoyed the trial a lot. I think everything about this trial was just about perfect. The only thing I don't like about this trial is that they put the results in notebooks. I really hate it when clubs do that. Only one person can look at the results at a time. I always patiently wait my turn and then it never fails - I'll be looking at my results and someone will come and turn the page saying "I just need to look at something really quick." Arg. I just waiting 10 minutes to see my scores and then someone comes in and doesn't show the same courtesy.
Boogie had a great time at the trial as this must be Border Terrier country. There were at least 10 BT's here. Boogie didn't get to play with any of them but he sure wanted to! He did get lots of attention and enjoyed the atmosphere when he got out of the RV.
Overall, it was a fun weekend.
Debbie
10/12-14/07
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